National Right to Life Committee Will Score Against Defense Bill

The repeal of "don't ask, don't tell" is the hot-button issue attached to the defense authorization bill that's getting all the attention, but it's not the only issue that could keep the bill from passing. Douglas Johnson of the Nation Right to Life Committee says his group will oppose the defense bill, so long as it includes the Burris amendment that would allow elective abortions to be performed at military facilities. Johnson writes in an email to THE WEEKLY STANDARD: 

NRLC is strongly opposed to the defense authorization bill, in its current form, because it contains the Burris Amendment to repeal the longstanding statutory ban on the use of military medical facilities to perform elective abortions.  NRLC reserves the right to score any roll call that would advance this legislation, including a cloture vote on the motion to proceed, so long as the Burris language is part of the bill.

The Burris Amendment would repeal one of the few positive legislative gains achieved by the pro-life movement during the Clinton Administration.  Most of our victories during that era were defensive.